Apparatus for feeding electronic component and method for mounting electronic component

ABSTRACT

An electronic component taken out from a component storage section by a transfer head is held by suction, transferred and inspected as to whether it is good or defective by a good/defective component inspecting device. Thereafter, the electronic component is delivered to an alignment suction nozzle on a component alignment section. The sequence of the above-operations is then repeated, whereby the electronic components inspected and then aligned in the order of mounting can be supplied to a mounting head. Therefore, a mount time for the electronic components in a mount process is greatly shortened, so that productivity is expected to be improved. The electronic components can also be inspected before being aligned in the order of mounting, which further enhances mount efficiency.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic component-feedingapparatus and an electronic component mount method used in mountingelectronic components to circuit boards.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a constitution of a conventionalelectronic component-mounting apparatus. A component storage section 3storing required electronic components 2 is selected from a componentstorage device 1 which stores several tens of component storage sections3, and the storage section 3 is sent out in a direction of an arrow I. Amounting head 10 moving freely in X-axis and Y-axis directions suckscomponents 2 to thereby hold and transfer the electronic components 2. Asucked position of the electronic component 2 is first detected by aposition detection camera 7, and thereafter an accuracy of clinchedleads of the component or the like is inspected by a good/defectivecomponent inspecting device 6. Whether the electronic component 2 isgood or fails is thus determined and if the electronic component 2 isdefective, the electronic component 2 is removed. A suction attitude anda mount position of the electronic component 2 judged, to be good arecorrected on the basis of information of the sucked position obtained bythe position detection camera 7. The electronic component 2 is thenmounted to a circuit board 11. A plurality of tape-type componentfeeding devices 12 feeding components stored in a tape, etc. arearranged at an opposite side of the component storage device 1 via atransfer path for the circuit board 11, so that the other components tobe mounted to the circuit board 11 are properly supplied and mounted tothe circuit board 11 with the use of the aforementioned mounting head10.

[0003] In the prior art constitution as above, a sequence of processestakes time, i.e., a process wherein the component storage device selectsthe required component storage section, moves the storage sectionup/down and sends out the storage section through a take-out opening, aprocess wherein a transfer head sucks the components to thereby hold andtransfer the predetermined electronic component, a process wherein thesucked position of the component is detected and corrected so as toinspect whether the component is good or defective, and a process ofmounting the component to the circuit board. Productivity efficiency isyet to be solved.

[0004] The present invention has for its object to provide an electroniccomponent-feeding apparatus and electronic component mount method ofimproved efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In solving the above-discussed disadvantage, according to a firstaspect of the present invention, there is provided an electroniccomponent-feeding apparatus which comprises component storage sections,a component storage device, transfer head, a component alignmentsection, and an inspection device.

[0006] The component storage sections store electronic components. Thecomponent storage device has a plurality of the component storagesections therein, and selects and sends out a desired component storagesection therefrom.

[0007] The transfer head has a suction nozzle for sucking apredetermined electronic component from the component storage sectionselected and sent out by the component storage device, therebytransferring the predetermined electronic component to a componentalignment section. The component alignment section holds the electroniccomponents sequentially transferred by the transfer head, and transfersthe held electronic components sequentially to a suction position ofamounting head.

[0008] The inspecting device is for inspecting whether the electroniccomponent is good or defective on a transfer path of the transfer head.By the above construction of the aspect of the present invention, theelectronic components can be aligned in the order of mounting at thecomponent alignment section at the same time that a circuit board iscarried in or discharged. Therefore, the electronic components areefficiently supplied to the mounting head when the electronic componentsare mounted to the circuit board. Thus, efficiency in mounting theelectronic components is improved greatly. In addition to this effect,the electronic components can be inspected before being supplied to themounting head. Thus, efficiency is furthermore enhanced.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, thecomponent alignment section of the first aspect of the present inventionincludes a component alignment belt and alignment suction nozzlesarranged in a row at a constant interval on the component alignment beltalong a transfer direction of the component alignment belt. Therefore,the electronic components are supplied sequentially to the mounting headthrough an intermittent operation of the component alignment belt. Bythe above construction, the electronic components can accordingly beefficiently and surely supplied to the mounting head in a state whilealigned in the order of mounting.

[0010] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in theelectronic component-feeding apparatus in the first or second aspect ofthe present invention, the transfer direction of the component alignmentbelt of the component alignment section is oriented in parallel to adirection in which the selected component storage section is sent outfrom the component storage device. In addition, the transfer head movesin a direction orthogonal to the send-out direction. By the aboveconstruction, the electronic components can be aligned on the componentalignment section efficiently in the order of mounting through areciprocatory operation of the transfer head.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, anelectronic component mount method carried out when electronic componentsare mounted to a circuit board is provided. This method comprisesselecting a desired one of a plurality of component storage sectionsstoring the electronic components, and taking out the electroniccomponent selected among the electronic components in the selectedcomponent storage section on the basis of the order of mounting to thecircuit board. The electronic component is then transferred anddelivered to a component alignment section. The selecting, taking out,transferring and delivering operations are repeated in accordance withthe order of mounting. The electronic components sequentiallytransferred to the component alignment section are held, and the heldelectronic components are supplied sequentially to a suction position ofa mounting head by the component alignment section.

[0012] The electronic components are then sucked sequentially at thesuction position and are mounted to the circuit board by the mountinghead. By the above constructions, the electronic components can beefficiently supplied to the mounting head in a state while aligned inthe order of mounting at the same time that the circuit board is carriedin or out. In consequence, the electronic components are mountedefficiently to the circuit board.

[0013] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, while theelectronic component is being transferred to the component alignmentsection, the electronic component is inspected to determine whether itis good or not. By the above constructions, whether or not theelectronic component is good is determined before it is supplied to themounting head, thereby enhancing efficiency.

[0014] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any oneof the first through third aspects of the present invention, thetransfer head repeatedly takes out the electronic components inaccordance with the order in which they are mounted to the circuitboard. The transfer head also repeatedly transfers the electroniccomponent to the component alignment section and delivering theelectronic component to the component alignment section in the order inwhich they are to be mounted. The electronic components can accordinglybe delivered to the component alignment section among the electroniccomponents in the component storage section in accordance with the orderof mounting to the circuit board.

[0015] As described hereinabove, in the electronic component-feedingapparatus and the electronic component mount method provided accordingto the present invention, the time during which the circuit board iscarried in or out, etc. is efficiently utilized to feed the electroniccomponents to the mounting head in a state while the electroniccomponents are aligned in the order of mounting. A mount time for theelectronic components in a mount process is consequently greatlyreduced, and productivity is expected to be improved. Moreover, thegood/defective inspection of the electronic components can beaccomplished before they are aligned in the order of mounting, achievingfurther improvement in efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] These and other aspects and features of the present inventionwill become clear from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic component-feedingapparatus in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a diagram of the constitution of an electroniccomponent-mounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention which includes the electronic component-feeding apparatus ofFIG. 1; and

[0019]FIG. 3 is a diagram of the constitution of a conventionalelectronic component-mounting apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it isto be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numeralsthroughout the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedhereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in which the same members asin the conventional art are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0022] In FIG. 1, a component storage device 1 holds several tens ofcomponent storage sections 3 such as trays or the like storingelectronic components 2 therein. The layered storage sections 3 are heldin the device 1 in a manner so as to be movable up and down. Thecomponent storage section 3 storing a required electronic component isdesignated according to a program, and then is moved up and down andcarried to a take-out opening 15 by moving up and down a componentstorage section-supporting shelf 14 supporting the component storagesection 3. The component storage section 3 is discharged out in adirection of an arrow I through the take-out opening 15. A transfer head4 having several kinds of transfer suction nozzles 5 takes out theelectronic component 2 from the component storage section 3 by using anoptimum nozzle conforming to a type of the electronic component 2,transfers the electronic component in a direction of an arrow II along aguide rail 16, and passes the electronic component over a good/defectivecomponent-inspecting device 6 arranged at a location corresponding to atransfer path of the electronic component so as to inspect whether theelectronic component is good or defective. The electronic component 2 ismoved to a component alignment section 13 when the component is good,whereas a defective electronic component 2 is eliminated by a removingmeans (not shown in the drawing). The good/defectivecomponent-inspecting device 6 scans the electronic component 2 withlaser light in a direction orthogonal to the arrow direction II when theelectronic component 2 transferred in the direction II passes over theinspecting device 6. Thus, inspections are conducted on the followinginspection items on the basis of a light-receptive position and alight-receptive amount of a reflected laser light of the scan. Theinspection items referred to above include a lead pitch, a lead count, alead bend in a thicknesswise direction of the electronic component etc.in the case of the electronic component 2 having leads. For theelectronic component 2 with solder balls or bumps, the inspection itemsinclude a lack or break, a height and a shape of the solder ball orbump. Inspection information from the inspecting device 6 is supplied toa control device 18 which judges whether the electronic component 2 isgood or defective.

[0023] The component alignment section 13 has two component alignmentbelts 8. A plurality of alignment suction nozzles 9 are arranged at aconstant interval on each component alignment belt 8. So, the componentalignment section 13 sends the electronic components 2 to suctionpositions P1, P2 of a mounting head 10 sequentially through anintermittent driving via a constant pitch by the alignment belts 8. Asuction device 17 is connected to each component alignment belt 8. Thealignment suction nozzles 9 suck the components 2 to thereby hold theelectronic components 2 by the suction device 17.

[0024] The control device 18 controls the above-described operations ofat least the component storage device 1, transfer head 4, good/defectivecomponent/inspecting device 6, mounting head 10, component alignmentsection 13 and suction device 17. The control device 18 can also controloperations of a position detection camera 7 and a transference of thecircuit board 11 as described later. A mount program containinginformation regarding a relationship of mount positions on the circuitboard including the order of mounting, containing information about thetypes of the electronic components to be mounted at the mount positions,and containing information related to a mount operation such as types ofelectronic components stored in the component storage sections 3, etc.are stored in the control device 18 before the mounting is started.

[0025]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the constitution of an electroniccomponent-mounting apparatus in an embodiment of the present inventionincluding the electronic component-feeding apparatus. 12 is a tape-typeor stick-type component feeding apparatus. The component storage device1 is set at the opposite side to the feeding apparatus 12 via a circuitboard feed path 21. The component alignment section 13 is arranged inparallel to the component storage device 1, and the good/defectivecomponent-inspecting device 6 is positioned between the componentstorage section 3 and the component alignment belt 8. The positiondetection camera 7 for correction of the component sucked position isplaced between the component alignment belts 8 and circuit board 11.During the time when the circuit board 11 is moved out after a componenthas been mounted thereto and a fresh circuit board 11 is carried in, orwhen the mounting head 10 mounts a different electronic componentsupplied from the tape-type or stick-type component feeding apparatus 12to the circuit board 11, the transfer head 4 takes out an electroniccomponent 2 from the component-storage section 3. The electroniccomponent 2 is then inspected by the good/defective component-inspectingdevice 6 installed in the middle of the transfer path, and if theelectronic component 2 is good, the transfer head 4 transfers theelectronic component 2 to the alignment suction nozzle 9 on thealignment belt 8. The above operation is repeatedly carried out for apredetermined number of times. Thus, after the inspection, theelectronic components 2 can be aligned sequentially on the componentalignment belts 8 in the programmed order of mounting, and can be suckedand held by the alignment suction nozzles 9. Through the intermittentfeeding by the component alignment belts 8, the electronic components 2are sent towards the mounting head 10 by every one pitch. Therefore; inthis constitution, the time for carrying in and out the circuit board 11can be utilized efficiently, and the mounting head 10 merelyreciprocates between a leading end of the alignment belts 8 at the sideof the mounting head 10 and the circuit board 11. As a result, anincrease in speed of the mounting operation is achieved.

[0026] According to the above arrangement, even in the case ofelectronic components of a large size requiring that the componentstorage device have trays layered therein, a predetermined electroniccomponent can be taken out, transferred and mounted in short time.Therefore, the large electronic components can be supplied efficientlyin the same manner as in the tape-type or stick-type component feedingapparatus.

[0027] Although the component alignment section uses two componentalignment belts in the above description, one component alignment beltor two or more belts can act in the same way.

[0028] In the embodiment, the good/defective component inspecting deviceis located between the component storage device and component alignmentbelt. However, the arrangement is not required. For instance, theinspecting device may be set at the component alignment section.

[0029] Further, the tape-type or stick-type component feeding apparatusis employed together in the embodiment. However the electroniccomponent-feeding apparatus of the present invention may be used singlyin the electronic component-mounting apparatus, which fulfills the sameeffect.

[0030] The mounting head adopted in the embodiment moves in the X-axisand Y-axis directions. Other kinds of mounting heads (e.g., a rotaryhead and the like) are applicable to the electronic component-feedingapparatus of the present invention.

[0031] The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 8-217177filed on Aug. 19, 1996 including the specification, claims, drawings andsummary is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0032] Although the present invention has been fully described inconnection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes andmodifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes andmodifications are to be understood as included within the scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims unless they departtherefrom.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of mounting electronic components to acircuit board, comprising: selecting a desired one of a plurality ofcomponent storage sections housed in a component storage device, each ofthe component storage sections storing electronic components; ejectingthe desired one of the component storage sections from the componentstorage device; sucking a predetermined electronic component from thedesired one of the component storage sections using a transfer head;transferring the sucked electronic component to a component alignmentsection using the transfer head; placing the transferred electroniccomponent onto the component alignment section; repeating said suckingof a predetermined electronic component, said transferring of the suckedelectronic component, and said placing of the transferred electroniccomponent so as to form an alignment of electronic components along thecomponent alignment section; holding the electronic components on thecomponent alignment section; conveying the held electronic components toa suction position of said mounting head in an order in which saidmounting head mounts the electronic components using the componentalignment section; sequentially sucking the electronic components fromthe component alignment section using a mounting head; and mounting thesequentially sucked electronic components onto a circuit board.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising inspecting the sucked electroniccomponent during transfer of the sucked electronic component to thecomponent alignment section so as to determine whether the suckedelectronic component is defective.